THE CONCERNED KIDS’ mandate is to educate children, young people and adults with whom they are concerned, about social concerns through the medium of interactive puppetry. This non-profit organization began in Toronto in 1988 (incorporated by January 1989) because of the need to reach young people with messages concerning social issues such as HIV/AIDS and SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
Community groups and educators expressed a need for new and creative ways of reaching young people. Four women began this organization knowing that the need to provide children and young people with knowledge about HIV/AIDS and SUBSTANCE ABUSE could be done through the medium of interactive puppetry. Children listen and HEAR when puppets speak. We believe the medium of puppetry is an ideal way to give children, young people, parents and other concerned adults needed information in conjunction with discussion and skill development activities. Puppetry is an effective way to interact with children and young people concerning issues that are important to them.
THE CONCERNED KIDS has been educating children and young people through interactive puppetry for more than a decade. 5 of the programs are from Kids on the Block.
Each year our numbers have grown as the programs gain wider appeal. The overwhelming response keeps us almost fully booked for the next school year. This attests to the cooperation and collaboration with the schools and community groups in the Greater Toronto Area.
Each program provides a stimulating and unique way of discussing each topic. Interactive puppetry is an excellent medium by which to reach young people because the participants are very comfortable with the puppets and not threatened, as they may be by an adult.
THE CONCERNED KIDS is the only organization that educates young people about these social concerns through the medium of interactive puppetry in the Toronto Area. We have reached more than 306,000 young people with these messages. Since inception, the numbers of programs presented and young people reached have increased greatly, as the chart below indicates.